Improvement in car-couplings



UNITED STATES PATENT Critic R.

-' JACOB sINe-ER, 0F HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 172,789, dated January25, 1876; application filed January 8, 1876.

'ment in car-couplings, in which the link may be retained in ahorizontal or inclinedposition in either draw-head, and will coupleautomatically with the opposite draw-head on the cars being broughttogether, but will yield and enter the draw head to which it is attachedin case it strikes a stationary object.

The further objectiof my invention is to prevent the loss of the links.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of adouble-mouth draw-head, showing my improvements, the pin being down;Fig. 2, a sectional elevation, showing the invention applied .to asinglemouth draw-head, thepin being elevated; Fig. 3, a longitudinalsection on the line 1 2, Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a sectional elevation on theline 3 4, Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a sectional elevation of the draw-head; Figs.6 and 7, detached perspective views; and Figs. 8 and 9, modifications.

A represents a draw-head, which may be specially constructed for thepurposes of the invention, or may be of any of the ordinary forms, andwithin this draw-head is a bearing, w,'t0 which is adapted a block orfollower, B, as in the car-couplin g patented by me on the 9th day ofJune, 1874.

In the present instance, the bearing is formed by means of checks yy,Figs. 4 and 5, secured to or cast with the draw-head, within and at thesides. thereof, the upper edges of the cheeks being inclined, andconstituting the bearing, to which inclined shoulders 20 at the sides ofthe block B are adapted.

The forward movement of the block is limited by stops or otherwise, sothat it shall not pass beneath the opening a. for the usual coupling-pinO. The block or follower B carries a detent or trigger, B, which has alimited movement independent of the block, and, when at the limit of itsforward movement, occupies a position in the mouth of the drawheadbeneath the opening a, constituting a rest for the pin 0, and preventingits descent.

The trigger may be constructed andconiiected to the block in variousWays but I prefer shoulders of the draw-head or block.

At the front end of the block B and of the trigger are lugs or shouldersn n, for a purpose described herea'ften' When the pin rests upon thetrigger Bfa link introduced into either mouth of the drawhead, Fig. 1,will force back the trigger, releas n t pin 0, which will descendthrough and secure the link.

The pressure of the follower, which hugs the link in frictional contactwith the pin G, is sufficient to maintain the link in its position butto prevent it from being readily displaced by the jarring movement ofthe cars, the shoulders of projections n n are so arranged that the endof the link may pass slightly beneath or above one of them.

As the shoulders occupy difl'erent positions they serve the purpose ofretaining the link in any of the various positionsto which it isnecessary to adjust it in coupling cars of different heights, Fig. 1,the projections extending over or under the end of the link.-

After a link has been secured in one drawhead, the pin of the oppositedraw-head is raised, when the trigger will fall forward beneath the pin,and will retain the same in its elevated position, Fig. 2.

On bringingthe draw-heads together, the

free end of the link will strike the opposite trigin the act ofcoupling.

If, however, the free end of the link should strike the side of thedraw-head or any unyielding object, the follower B, constituting ayielding backing, will, under the greater '7 pressure thus applied, riseupon its bearing, and permit the link to pass into the chamber of thedraw-head to such an extent as to prevent it from being broken.

When a double-mouth draw-head is used and the link is inserted in theupper mouth,

or when the link is short and its movement limited, it will remain incontact with the follower as it passes inward but when it is inserted inthe lower mouth, or passes into a draw-head having a single mouth, thefollower B, if moved to a sufficient extent, will rise and permit-thelink to pass beneath the same.

It will be seen that the cars may be brought together without couplingby simply depressing the pin in one of the heads, when the link,striking the pin, will slide back without any connection being formed.

The downward movement of the follower may be limited, so as to formbetween the follower and the bottom of the draw-head a space, X, for thereception of an extra link, as shown in the drawing, thus avoiding theloss of links, which is apt to occur when two draw-heads, each providedwith a link, are brought together, and there is no permanent receptaclefor the extra link.

In order to facilitate the withdrawal of a link from the receptacle X,openings 8 are made in the bottom of the draw-head, through which thehand or fingers may be inserted to mannipulate the link.

As before stated, the trigger B may be constructed and applied invarious ways. In Fig. 8 it is shown as pivoted at the lower end andfalling forward by its gravity. In Fig. 9

it is constructed to be thrown .forwardyhy a spring.

Without limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement ofthe parts shown and described,

I claim-- 1. A draw-head provided with an inclined bearing, and with afollower adapted to the said bearing, and carrying a trigger arrangedand operating to retain and release the coupling-pin, substantially asset forth.

2. The combination of the draw-head, its inclined hearing, a followeradapted to said bearing, and a trigger sliding upon an inclined bearingof the follower, as set forth.

3. A draw-head provided with an opening, 8, in the bottom, arranged tofacilitate the manipulation of the link within the draw-head, asspecified.

4. The combination, with a draw-head, of a yielding block or follower,B, passing inward under pressure, and a trigger, B, carried by thefollower, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JACOB SINGER.

Witnesses: I

EDWARD SNYDER, EUGENE SNYDER.

